-The United Nations Governments must urgently act to reduce the health and environmental hazards posed by the increase in use of chemicals in industries worldwide, says a United Nations report launched today, which stresses that more sustainable management policies are needed to address this growing risk. Produced by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the Global Chemicals Outlook report argues that a shift in the production, use and disposal of chemical products from...

-The Hindustan Times Despite crores being spent on HIV/AIDS sensitisation campaigns, it still remains an anathema — even for doctors and nurses. Why else would an HIV positive woman in advanced pregnancy be forced to go home when she came to the hospital to deliver? What's worse, the woman, (name withheld) from Dahapada village under Remuna block, was left unattended for 2 hours after she delivered in an ambulance on way...

-The Times of India Over-the-counter sale of around 92 antibiotic and anti-tuberculosis drugs in India will be restricted soon. Drug Controller General of India G N Singh has written to the Union health minister to notify a new schedule, H1, in the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules. Once notified, following clearance from the law ministry, these drugs cannot be sold without prescription. The drugs will also have to carry a prominent label in red...

-The Hindu Tuberculosis (TB) has remained a major infectious DISEase in developing and poor countries despite all efforts from health agencies to manage and control it. In fact, even an easy and effective way to diagnose the DISEase has remained a challenge. Emergence of drug resistant strains has made its management more complex. The steps It makes the situation in countries like India, with the highest TB burden in the world, even more...

-The Times of India Rural positing for six months will soon become compulsory for undergraduate medical students before they get their MBBS degree with the Medical Council of India (MCI) recently presenting the proposal to the health ministry. At present, an MBBS course of 5.5 years includes one year of internship. However, most of these medical students end up practising in urban settings, refusing to serve the country's rural population. The MCI has...